You will engage in ethnographic research by collecting data:

– participant observations

– interviews

– artifacts (documents, photos, videos, etc.)

MINI-ETHNOGRAPHY ASSIGN.

INTERVIEWING TIPS

Prepare your questions in advance

be flexible. You may wish to tape/digitally record the interview (with the permission of the interviewee) so that you do not need to take notes during the interview,

you will need to type a field note afterwards.

While you are required to submit your field note with your essay, if you use a recording, do not submit it with your assignment.

allow the conversation to flow naturally

– It’s okay if you don’t ask all your questions (and better to be less structured)

Be honest with the participant about the purpose of the interview

– No need to be mysterious about your intent; maybe they’ll have ideas about your questions and you can co-construct knowledge

INTERVIEWING TIPS CONT.

Ask Participant for permission to record (audio/visual)

– Assure them only you will listen

– It’s okay to record/ask questions while engaging in an activity with the interviewee

– If they decline, write a detailed field note immediately after the interview

CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW

A Written record of observations: “ordinary events become data” (Bogdan and Biklen)

– Together with your interview, they help you formulate your essay; But don’t worry: Patterns and themes will emerge

– They are an opportunity to reflect on theory in practice

– They are a means to reflect on your learning and teaching

WHAT ARE FIELDNOTES?

general observations

- A “newspaper” account that chronicles and objectively describes your subject & location; detailed descriptions are important!

focused observations

– detailed description of what happened during your time with your participant

Reflections/analysis

– what did you learn? what stands out to you about your time with your participant?

FIELDNOTE FORMAT

Do i use real names for people and places?

– Yes, but just use their first name or their last name initial (Dr. P., for example). if this is an issue, use fake names

Is there a max. length? no, it’s like toilet paper--use however much you need!

what if someone tells me something confidential? Can I write about it in my field note and record it in the interview?

– Yes. But use discretion. it might be that you need to create a pseudonym or change some details to protect identity/protect them from other adults finding out

FIELDNOTES faqs

don’t write your fieldnotes while with your participant: it will distract you and your participant

– you can jot down words and fragments to help you jog your memory later

trust your memory but write your notes immediately after (this means that you have to think about this when planning interviews/observations)

FIELDNOTE TIPS

Recreate conversations that are pivotal, repeating actual speech (or an approximation). only use quotes when you know with certainty that it is the exact word, phrase or sentence!

Be vivid in your descriptions. Not “Johnny was sick.” But “Johnny’s nose was dripping yellow gunk, and he kept his head down while I was interviewing him.”

FIELDNOTE TIPS CONT.

interview doesn’t capture the context (setting) of the location/participant

- Interview: dialogue only

- Field note: Sights, sounds, smells, mood, demeanor, details...details...details

Need both to create a portrait of your participant and what it is like to live in a digital world

FIELDNOTES + INTERVIEW

Begin by thinking about what stands out in your mind about all of your fieldnote and interview data

– What are issues or moments that struck you as the most interesting?

– from your data, what answers the research question: what is it like living in a digital era? (and the sociocultural issues that are present?)

data analysis: PATTERNS AND THEMES

look over your entire data set: take notes on patterns or common themes

– Use highlighter to code your field note and interview and take notes in the margins.

use these patterns/themes to make an argument. these patterns/themes are considered findings! you found them, now argue why they are important and how they answer the research question.

data analysis: PATTERNS AND THEMES CONT.